US9418562B2 - Onboard weather radar flight strategy system with bandwidth management - Google Patents

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to devices, systems, and methods for enabling and operating an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth. In one example, a method includes receiving, by a hub system, initial sets of data from one or more aircraft. The method further includes receiving secondary sets of data from the aircraft, wherein the secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition. The method further includes transmitting an initial data stream to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft. The method further includes transmitting, in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream based at least in part on the secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

Description

This disclosure relates to weather radar systems.

BACKGROUND

An aircraft may use an onboard weather radar system to detect adverse weather conditions, which may enable the flight crew to make changes to the flight plan as necessary to avoid potentially hazardous weather. An aircraft in flight may also receive weather information from ground stations. Up-to-date weather information may assist the flight crew in evaluating whether or how to modify a flight plan to ensure safety of the flight.

SUMMARY

This disclosure is directed to systems, devices, and methods for enabling and operating an onboard weather radar system that may provide high-resolution graphical display of significant weather conditions to assist pilots in flight while managing bandwidth and maintaining moderate data transmission rates. In addition, the disclosure is directed to systems, devices, and methods for generating and providing weather information to one or more aircraft. A ground station may combine substantial numbers and variety of weather-sensing technologies from sensors based on one or more sources to enable high-range, high-resolution, three-dimensional, near-real-time graphical display of weather conditions. The one or more sources may include, for example, one or more other aircraft in flight, one or more ground-based weather radar stations, one or more weather satellites, or any combination thereof. This advanced graphical display of weather conditions may aid pilots substantially in avoiding hazardous weather and improving flight safety.

This advanced high-range, high-resolution, three-dimensional, near-real-time graphical display of weather conditions may also involve very high volumes of data. Transmitting the full volume of this data constantly to an aircraft may require very high bandwidth that may impose substantial burdens on aircraft system resources. Examples of this disclosure may enable management of the bandwidth required for data transmission for high-range, high-resolution, three-dimensional, near-real-time graphical display of weather conditions. Examples of this disclosure may involve defaulting in normal weather conditions to throttled bandwidth and transmitting selected portions of data to enable graphical weather display that is informative without taking full advantage of the system's capabilities, while providing the pilot with an option to invoke the high-bandwidth transmissions for higher range, resolution, frame rate, and dimension (2D to 3D), as needed, for displaying and helping the pilot understand hazardous weather conditions when they arise, and for transmitting additional volumes of data when it detects a potentially hazardous weather system.

In one example, a method for enabling an onboard weather display system includes receiving, by a hub system, one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft. The method further includes receiving, by the hub system, one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft. The method further includes transmitting, by the hub system, an initial data stream to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft. The method further includes transmitting, by the hub system in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

Another example is directed to an article of manufacture that includes a computer-readable medium having program code stored thereon, configured to be executable by one or more processors. The program code is configured for causing the one or more processors to receive one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft. The program code is further configured for causing the one or more processors to receive one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft. The program code is further configured for causing the one or more processors to generate an initial data stream for transmission to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft. The program code is further configured for causing the one or more processors to generate, in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream for transmission to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

Another example is directed to a system for operating an onboard weather display system on an aircraft. The system is configured to receive an initial data stream based at least in part on one or more initial sets of data from one or more additional aircraft. The system is further configured to transmit a request to a hub system for a secondary data stream comprising additional data associated with a significant weather condition indicated by the initial data stream. The system is further configured to receive the secondary data stream, wherein the secondary data stream comprises additional data not comprised in the initial data stream. The system is further configured to generate a display based at least in part on the secondary data stream.

Another example is directed to a hub system configured to enable an onboard weather display system on an aircraft. The hub system includes means for receiving one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft. The hub system further includes means for receiving one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft. The hub system further includes means for transmitting an initial data stream to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft. The hub system further includes means for transmitting, in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a conceptual diagram of an example weather information network system that includes a hub system in communication with a number of representative aircraft in flight.

FIG. 2 depicts a functional block diagram of an example aircraft system that enables functions such as operating an onboard weather display system on an aircraft.

FIG. 3 depicts a conceptual diagram of graphical user interface/display device that incorporates an electronic flight bag (EFB) and that may be used on a particular aircraft in flight in various examples.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for an example method for enabling an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth between a hub system and an aircraft in flight.

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of an example hub system for enabling an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples described below generally directed to devices, systems, techniques, and methods for enabling and operating an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth between a hub system and an aircraft (which may be in flight). In some examples, one or more aircraft may transmit initial sets of data to be received by the hub system. When one or more of the aircraft detect a significant weather condition that may be potentially hazardous to an aircraft in flight, such as turbulence, convective cells, high winds, hail, lightning, or storms, the one or more aircraft may transmit secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, to be received by the hub system. The secondary sets of data may have higher bandwidth than the initial sets of data, to transmit higher amounts of data related to the significant weather condition.

The hub system is configured to transmit an initial data stream back to one or more particular aircraft, which may include one or more aircraft that has transmitted initial and/or secondary data sets to the hub system, or other aircraft. The initial data stream is based on the initial sets of data from the various aircraft. In some examples, a particular aircraft may transmit a request to the hub system for additional data related to a significant weather condition indicated by the initial data stream. The request may be generated by the crew of the aircraft, or automatically by an aircraft system.

The hub system may then transmit a secondary data stream to the particular aircraft, where the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition. The secondary data stream may also be at a higher bandwidth, to transmit higher amounts of data related to the significant weather condition, which may be useful for high-resolution display of the significant weather condition. The high-resolution display of the significant weather condition may be useful for the crew in deciding if and when to modify their flight strategy, e.g., to avoid a detected weather hazard. The system may operate at higher bandwidth only when needed to deal with significant weather conditions, thereby promoting flight safety while making efficient use of communication resources.

FIG. 1 depicts a conceptual diagram of an example weatherinformation network system100 that includes ahub system110 in communication with a number ofrepresentative aircraft132,134,136,138 in flight.Hub system110 may be in communication with any number of aircraft in flight, in various examples.Hub system110 is based at aground station120, in this example.Hub system110 may enable methods and techniques for operating an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth onaircraft132,134,136,138 in flight, as further described below.

Hub system110 includescomputing devices112 and aninterface device114 in data communication withcomputing devices112, in this example.Computing devices112 may include one or more processors. The one or more processors, as well as other processors disclosed herein, can comprise any suitable arrangement of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof, to perform the techniques attributed tohub system110 described herein. For example, the one or more processors may include any one or more microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or any other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, as well as any combinations of such components.Hub system110 may also include a memory (e.g., as part of one or more computing devices112), which can include any volatile or non-volatile media, such as a RAM, ROM, non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, and the like. The memory may store computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors ofsystem110 cause the processors to implement the techniques attributed tosystem110 herein.

Hub system110 is also in data communication withcommunication antennas122 ofground station120, and thereby in communication viatelecommunication satellite124 withaircraft132,134,136,138. In particular,hub system110 has abroadband data connection140 withtelecommunication satellite124, andtelecommunication satellite124 has satellite-aircraft data links142A,142B,142C,142D, respectively (“satellite-aircraft data links142”) with each ofaircraft132,134,136,138 in flight.

Each of satellite-aircraft data links142 may be at a standard or nominal bandwidth at some intervals of time, and have its bandwidth increased to a broadband connection at some intervals of time (with the understanding that “standard bandwidth” and “broadband” may be defined differently in various applications, some examples of which are discussed below). This is shown in the example of satellite-aircraft data link142D withaircraft138. In the example shown inFIG. 1, satellite-aircraft data link142D includes a standard-bandwidth downlink channel144, a standard-bandwidth uplink channel146, and abroadband connection148, any of which may only be operative at certain intervals of time. In general,broadband connection148 may enable a substantially higher rate of data download and/or upload betweenaircraft138 andhub station110 than is possible withstandard channels144 and146, whilebroadband connection148 may also consume a higher level of resources, impose higher operational burden, or be more expensive thanstandard channels144 and146.

Each ofaircraft132,134,136,138 may employ sensors in flight, including an onboard weather radar system (with onboard radar transmissions conceptually depicted inFIG. 1) and/or other sensors that collect data relevant to weather conditions. Each ofaircraft132,134,136,138 may transmit data on a recurring basis tohub system110. For example, each ofaircraft132,134,136,138 may transmit basic sets of data tohub system110 on an ongoing basis during flight, where the basic sets of data may include sensor data, sensor range setting data, sensor angle setting data, aircraft position data, aircraft heading data, aircraft speed data, and aircraft altitude data. Each ofaircraft132,134,136,138 may transmit the basic sets of data tohub system110 via the respective standard-bandwidth downlink channel144. Theaircraft132,134,136,138 may transmit the basic sets of data tohub system110 via other means, either viasatellite124 or other asset or directly tohub system110, in other examples.

The sensor data may include selected portions of data from an onboard weather radar and/or other onboard sensors. The data from the onboard weather radar may include radar imaging data, as well as sensor setting data such as radar range setting data and radar angle setting data, for example. The sensor data may include all of the data from the onboard weather radar and/or other onboard sensors at certain times, in some examples. The sensor range setting data and sensor angle setting data may include data on settings for the range and angle of the onboard weather radar and/or other onboard sensors. The aircraft position data and aircraft altitude data may include data on the position, altitude, heading, speed, and/or other related parameters of the aircraft. Therefore,hub system110 may receive one or more initial sets of data from one or more ofaircraft132,134,136,138, where receiving the initial sets of data may includehub system110 receiving one or more of sensor data, sensor range setting data, sensor angle setting data, aircraft position data, aircraft heading data, aircraft speed data, and aircraft altitude data, from one or more ofaircraft132,134,136,138. In some examples, each initial set of data can also include timestamp data to indicate one or more times at which the data was generated by the aircraft.

Hub system110 may process the initial sets of data from one or more ofaircraft132,134,136,138 to generate an initial data stream to transmit back to one or more ofaircraft132,134,136,138. Generating the initial data stream may include processing the initial data sets, selecting data from among the initial data sets, combining data from the initial data sets, adding additional data (such as from other sources) besides the data from the initial data sets from the aircraft, and formatting the data to transmit to the aircraft, for example. Generating the initial data stream byhub system110 may include only some of these processes and may include additional processes, in various examples.Hub system110 may then transmit the initial data stream toaircraft132,134,136,138, or to any one particular aircraft amongaircraft132,134,136,138.Hub system110 may transmit the initial data stream to any number of aircraft in various examples.Hub system110 may transmit any one or more of: sensor data, sensor range setting data, sensor angle setting data, aircraft position data, aircraft heading data, aircraft altitude data, and the respective timestamp data from any one or more ofaircraft132,134,136,138 as part of the initial data stream.

Hub system110 may transmit the initial data stream toaircraft132,134,136,138 via the respectivestandard channel146, with a standard bandwidth for communications between an aircraft and a ground station. This standard bandwidth may use only a portion of the maximum bandwidth of the possible data link with whichhub station110 and aparticular aircraft138 are enabled for communicating data with each other. This standard bandwidth may be a relatively low bandwidth compared with the maximum bandwidth possible.

The initial data stream may indicate the absence or presence of a significant weather condition in the path of theparticular aircraft138. When the initial data stream shows that the weather in the flight path is relatively calm and clear,aircraft138 may continue in flight and continue transmitting the initial data sets tohub system110 and receiving the initial data stream from hub system110 (or in some examples,aircraft138 may not necessarily transmit initial data sets tohub system110, but receive the initial data stream from hub system110). When the initial data stream shows an indication of a significant weather condition potentially in the flight path ofaircraft138,aircraft138 may respond by transmitting a request tohub system110 for additional data related to the significant weather condition (e.g., one or more processors of a flight information system onboard theaircraft138 may generate a request for transmission via an onboard communication antenna, as further described below with reference toflight information system270 ofFIG. 2).

The request fromaircraft138 may be generated by the crew of the aircraft, or automatically by an aircraft system. The request fromaircraft138 may be specifically a request for a secondary data stream comprising additional data associated with the significant weather condition, or may be interpreted byhub system110 as a request for a secondary data stream comprising additional data associated with the significant weather condition, where the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition as transmitted by one or more of theaircraft132,134,136,138 that have detected the significant weather condition.

In some examples, a significant weather condition potentially in the flight path ofaircraft138 may be detected by another one or more aircraft proximate to the flight path ofaircraft138. In one example,aircraft132,134, and136 are proximate to the flight path ofaircraft138, and each of theaircraft132,134, and136 detects a significant weather condition potentially in the flight path ofaircraft138.Aircraft132,134, and136 transmit secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition tohub system110. The secondary sets of data include higher amounts of data than the initial sets of data, to characterize the significant weather condition with high resolution, andaircraft132,134, and136 transmit the secondary sets of data at a higher bandwidth than the initial sets of data.Hub system110 receives the secondary sets of data at a higher bandwidth than the initial sets of data.

Hub system110 generates the secondary data stream based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, as received fromaircraft132,134, and136.Hub system110 processes and combines the secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition to generate the secondary data stream, as further described below.Hub system110 then transmits the secondary data stream toaircraft138 viabroadband channel148, at a higher bandwidth than the initial data stream viastandard channel146.

Hub system110 may also be in data communication withrepresentative weather satellite126 and representativeground weather station128, in this example.Hub system110 may be in data communication with any number of weather satellites and/or ground weather stations, in various examples.Weather satellite126 and/orground weather station128 may use radar, infrared, or any other active or passive sensing technologies to detect data relevant to weather, and transmit that data tohub system110. In this example,hub system110 receives additional data related to the significant weather condition from one or more additional sensor systems, such asweather satellite126 andground weather station128, and generates the secondary data stream based at least in part on both the additional data related to the significant weather condition fromweather satellite126 andground weather station128, and the secondary sets of data received fromaircraft132,134, and136.

The secondary data sets and the secondary data stream may include additional types of data not included in the initial sets of data. For example, the secondary data sets may include full-resolution radar imaging data of the significant weather condition, and may include three-dimensional radar imaging data related to the significant weather condition. The three-dimensional radar imaging data may include, for example, radar reflectivity data in an earth-referenced three-dimensional (or “volumetric”) memory buffer. The memory buffer may include the radar imaging data combined with sources of three-dimensional geographic and atmospheric data and sources of three-dimensional aircraft data on the aircraft's position, altitude, heading, and speed, for example. One or more processors onboard the aircraft may combine the three-dimensional radar imaging data, the geographic and atmospheric data, and the aircraft data to store in the memory buffer, and/or in other data storage. A radar system, e.g., onboard an aircraft, may be configured to scan the entire three-dimensional space in front of the aircraft, and the one or more processors may store the reflectivity data in the three-dimensional memory buffer. The one or more processors onboard the aircraft may update the memory buffer with newly obtained radar reflectivity data. The one or more processors may extract reflectivity data from the memory buffer to generate the desired weather information without having to make and wait for view-specific antenna scans. In addition, with the three-dimensional volumetric buffer data, the presentation of weather information is not constrained to a single tilt-plane that is inherent to conventional radar.

Hub system110 may combine full-resolution radar imaging data frommultiple aircraft132,134,136 with additional weather radar data from ground-basedweather radar station128 and infrared imaging data fromweather satellite126 to generate high-resolution imaging data of the significant weather condition. The high-resolution imaging data of the significant weather condition in the secondary data stream generated byhub system110 may enable more detailed image display of the significant weather condition, byaircraft138 or another entity, than is possible through any single one of the sources of weather data from whichhub system110 gathers its data. The radar imaging data from any one ofaircraft132,134,136 by itself might only provide a limited view of the significant weather condition. The radar imaging data from ground-basedweather radar station128 may also only provide a limited view of the significant weather condition. The data fromweather satellite126 may only provide a top-down view of the significant weather condition.

The combined imaging data generated byhub system110 for the secondary data stream may enable higher resolution imaging and display of the significant weather condition than would be possible through any of the individual sources of data. By combining data sources from many vantage points, including several positions over time ofaircraft132,134, and136 as they progress in their flight paths, as well as the ground-based positions ofweather radar station128 and the space-based vantage ofweather satellite126, the secondary data stream generated and transmitted byhub system110 may enable high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition (e.g., above a selected resolution) by an aircraft system onboard aircraft138 (as further described below with reference toFIG. 2). This high-resolution display of the significant weather condition may be enabled for display of a three-dimensional (3D) view of the significant weather condition. This high-resolution display of the significant weather condition may be enabled for a high resolution in time, such as a high frame rate (e.g., above a selected frame rate). In addition, or instead, this high-resolution display of the significant weather condition may also be enabled for a high range (e.g., above a selected distance threshold), particularly by combining the range of multiple sources of observation (e.g., aircraft, ground stations, satellites). The high-resolution display of the significant weather condition as provided via the secondary data stream fromhub system110 may serve as a valuable resource in assisting the crew ofaircraft138 in understanding the significant weather condition, and whether or how they should alter their flight strategy or flight plan to avoid the significant weather condition.

Hub system110 may select from among the data it has available to it from its multiple data sources to include high-resolution data only that is relevant to or related to the significant weather condition, as part of generating the secondary data stream for transmitting toaircraft138. For example, ifaircraft132 and134 have both provided weather radar imaging data of the significant weather condition from close to the same position, direction, or perspective, much of their data may overlap, andhub system110 may generate a combined data stream that removes duplicate information derived from the secondary data sets fromaircraft132 and134. Ifaircraft136 provides additional data related to the significant weather condition from a more distant position, such that its data is of relatively low resolution or of marginal value,hub system110 may omit part or all of the secondary data sets fromaircraft136 in generating the secondary data streams to transmit toaircraft138.

In another example, the request fromaircraft138 may include designations of particular aircraft as designated sources of data to be included in the secondary data stream requested byaircraft138.Hub system110 may receive a request fromaircraft138 that designatesaircraft132,134, and136 as sources of data to incorporate into the requested secondary data stream. In another example, the request fromaircraft138 may designate a certain flight path, or a nominal flight path and one or more optional flight paths (where the nominal flight path may be the originally filed or originally planned flight path), or a range of area, andhub system110 may assemble data relevant to that designated one or more flight paths or designated area, as part of generating and transmitting the secondary data stream.

In some examples, the initial data sets, the secondary sets of data, or both, may be transmitted byhub system110 toaircraft138 under a subscriber agreement.Hub system110 may interact with various aircraft based on service subscriptions with operators of the aircraft.Hub system110 may use techniques to confirm a subscriber policy associated with aparticular aircraft138, and to establish high-bandwidth data link148 withaircraft138, prior to transmitting the secondary data stream toaircraft138.

FIG. 2 depicts a functional block diagram of anexample aircraft system200 configured to operate an onboard weather display system on an aircraft, such asaircraft138 ofFIG. 1 as described above.Aircraft system200 includes a graphical user interface/display device210 (“display device210”), which may take the form of an electronic flight bag (EFB)310, that may generate and display graphical displays of maps of flight paths ofaircraft138, along with meteorological conditions in the range of a flight path. In other examples,display device210 may be provided by a primary flight display (PFD), a multifunction display (MFD), a navigation display, or any other suitable display.

Aircraft system200 includes one or more processor(s)220,memory222, anddata storage224, which are displayed separately fromdisplay device210 inFIG. 2, and which may be incorporated as part ofdisplay device210 in some examples.

Aircraft system200 also includescommunications processing system230,communications antenna232,navigation information system240, onboardweather radar system250,weather radar antenna260,flight information system270,other sensors272, andonboard communication channels226 enabling communicative connections among the various onboard systems.Flight information system270 may include the features indicated above with reference toFIG. 1, including the one or more processors onboardaircraft138. Onboardweather radar system250 includes radar control system252, radartransmitter synthesizer system254, radar poweramplification transmitter system256, andradar receiver system258. Onboardweather radar system250 andweather radar antenna260 may gather weather radar data for detecting, characterizing, and imaging weather systems, including significant weather conditions that may be hazardous to flight.Aircraft system200 may transmit this weather radar data as part of initial data sets viacommunications antenna232 via a standard channel tohub system110.Aircraft system200 may also transmit range and angle settings from onboardweather radar system250, and data on the position, flight path, heading, and altitude of the aircraft from, e.g.,navigation information system240 andflight information system270, and data fromother sensors272, tohub system110 as part of the initial data sets.

Theflight information system270onboard aircraft138 may include, e.g., a flight management system (FMS), an air data computer (ADC), or any combination thereof. One or more processors of the flight information systemonboard aircraft138 may determine whether to send a request tohub system110 for more detailed information about a significant weather condition based on the nominal flight path indicated by the FMS or the ADC, or one or more processors of the flight information systemonboard aircraft138 may provide information to the flight crew to assist them in evaluating whether to issue a request for more detailed information about a significant weather condition.

Navigation information system240 may include, e.g., an Inertial Navigation System (INS), a Global Positioning System (GPS), or any combination thereof.Data storage224 may include one or more hard disk drives, one or more flash drives, and/or one or more additional non-volatile or more or less long-term data storage devices.Memory222 may include random access memory (RAM) integrated circuits, cache circuits, and/or one or more volatile or more or less short-term data storage devices.Data storage224 and/ormemory222 may also include one or more devices or systems that may function or be used as either long-term data storage and/or short-term memory.

Aircraft system200 may receive data fromhub system110, including standard (initial) data streams and high-bandwidth (secondary) data streams fromhub system110, viacommunications antenna232 for display viadisplay device210. In response to receiving a high-bandwidth (secondary) data stream fromhub system110,aircraft system200 may display a high-resolution graphical display of a significant weather condition proximate to the flight path ofaircraft138 based on the high-bandwidth (secondary) data stream fromhub system110, an example of which is shown inFIG. 3 and described below.

FIG. 3 depicts a conceptual diagram of graphical user interface/display device210 (“display device210”) that incorporates an electronic flight bag (EFB)310 and that may be used on aparticular aircraft138 in flight in various examples, such asaircraft138 as depicted inFIG. 1.EFB310 may be implemented as a hardware device, as software or an application executing ondisplay device210, or a combination of hardware and software.EFB310 may serve various information collection and display functions useful for the crew ofaircraft138. In the example ofFIG. 3, one ormore processors220 ofaircraft system200 ofaircraft138, receiving and transmitting data viacommunication processing system230 andcommunication antenna232, receives an initial data stream fromhub system110 indicating a significant weather condition, transmits a request tohub system110 for additional high-bandwidth data on the significant weather condition, and receives a high-bandwidth secondary data stream fromhub system110. One ormore processors220 generate a map display output forEFB310 to display a map showing a graphical depiction offlight path312 ofaircraft138.EFB310 may initially show a display ofsignificant weather condition314 in its position on the map based on the standard-bandwidth initial data stream fromhub system110. Ifaircraft138 requests the high-bandwidth secondary data stream fromhub system110,EFB310 may then shows a high-resolution graphical display of thesignificant weather condition314 in its position on the map based on the high-bandwidth secondary data stream fromhub system110.

The flight crew ofaircraft138 and/or the one ormore processors220 ofaircraft system200 may include, in the request tohub system110 for additional data, parameters defining the scope of what additional detailed data to transmit toaircraft138. For example, the flight crew ofaircraft138 and/or one ormore processors220 ofaircraft system200 may define geographical parameters and/or a time frame to be covered by the additional data, or may designate specific other aircraft proximate to theirflight path312 from which to combine data, or may specify data relevant tonominal flight path312 and/or the actual current position, heading, and speed ofaircraft138. The flight crew ofaircraft138 for purposes of this discussion may include personnel who are not necessarily physically presentonboard aircraft138 but who are supporting or controlling the flight ofaircraft138.

EFB310 also includes alegend320 showing color-coding correspondence interpreting the graphical displays of various levels of turbulence, wind speeds, and selected or de-selected significant weather conditions.EFB310 also includes a graphical user interface (UI)element322 with a “slider bar” form with aslider323 corresponding to progression in time, such that a crew member may move theslider323 along the slider bar ofUI element322 to control the display of the significant weather condition over time, based on data from different points in time included in the high-bandwidth secondary data stream fromhub system110.EFB310 may continue to update the graphical display of thesignificant weather condition314 over time as it continues to receive additional, updated data fromhub system110.Hub system110 may transmit the secondary data stream in a format enabled for the high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition. This may includehub system110 transmitting the secondary data stream in a format enabled for display of the significant weather condition at various points in time as determined by a position of a user input element.

EFB310 also includes an altitude user interface (UI)tool324 enabling the user to select an altitude setting to display the graphical display of the significant weather conditionsignificant weather condition314.Altitude UI tool324 may assist the crew in evaluating how the significant weather condition varies over altitude and whether or how an altitude change in the flight path might help in avoiding the significant weather condition.

In various examples,EFB310 may show a high-resolution, three-dimensional graphical display of the significant weather condition and its environment and how they might affect theflight path312 of theaircraft138, or a vertical situational display of theflight path312 ofaircraft138 and the weatherproximate aircraft138, e.g., along theflight path312. The three-dimensional graphical display of the significant weather condition may incorporate how the significant weather condition varies over altitude as well as latitude and longitude.EFB310 may also show the graphical display of the significant weather condition with an extended range, at a long range from a current position ofaircraft138, which may incorporate data from multiple sources and may be longer range than the maximum range of onboardweather radar system250 orother sensors272 ofaircraft138. This extended range may assist the crew ofaircraft138 in evaluating any potential changes in flight path over long distances and potentially well ahead of time, which may enable a high number of options in potential changes to a flight plan.EFB310 may also show time-lapse animations of the significant weather condition at a high frame rate, which may also assist the crew in evaluating whether a change in the flight path might be required or how a change in the flight path might help in avoiding the significant weather condition.

The amount of data required for a high-resolution, long range, three-dimensional, high frame rate graphical display of the significant weather condition as incorporated in the secondary data stream transmitted fromhub station110 toaircraft138 may be substantial, and may impose a substantial or expensive burden on the telecommunications or bandwidth resources ofaircraft138 and/orhub station110. Various systems of this disclosure may enable only activating and imposing the high bandwidth needed for such a high-resolution, long range, three-dimensional, high frame rate graphical display of the significant weather condition only at such times as it is needed and beneficial for the crew ofaircraft138 in evaluating and planning whether or how to vary their flight plan on account of a significant weather condition.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for anexample method400 for enabling an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth between a hub system and an aircraft in flight, in accordance with illustrative aspects of this disclosure.Method400 includes receiving, by a hub system (e.g., hub system110), one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft (e.g.,aircraft132,134,136) (402).Method400 further includes receiving, by the hub system, one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft (404).Method400 further includes transmitting, by the hub system, an initial data stream to a particular aircraft (e.g., aircraft138), wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft (406).Method400 further includes transmitting, by the hub system in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition (408).

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of ahub system110 for enabling an onboard weather display system with managed bandwidth in accordance with an illustrative example. As described above with reference toFIG. 1,hub system110 includescomputing devices112A,112B,112C (“computingdevices112”) and aninterface device114 in data communication withcomputing devices112, in this example.Hub system110 is also in data communication withcommunication antennas122 ofground station120.Representative computing device112C includes one or more processor(s)520,memory522, anddata storage524. Processor(s)520 are configured to receive the one or more initial sets of data from one or more ofaircraft132,134, and136, and to generate the initial data stream based on the initial sets of data for transmitting toaircraft138. Processor(s)520 are further configured to receive the one or more secondary sets of data from one or more ofaircraft132,134, and136, and to generate the secondary data stream based on the secondary sets of data for transmitting toaircraft138.

Elements ofhub system110 as disclosed above may be implemented in any of a variety of additional types of solid state circuit elements, such as central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a magnetic nonvolatile random-access memory (RAM) or other types of memory, a mixed-signal integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a system on a chip (SoC), a subsection of any of the above, an interconnected or distributed combination of any of the above, or any other type of component or one or more components capable of being configured in accordance with any of the examples disclosed herein. Elements ofhub system110 may be programmed with various forms of software. Elements ofhub system110 as in any of the examples herein may be implemented as a device, a system, an apparatus, and may embody or implement a method of implementing hybrid radar, including for implementingexample method400 as described with reference toFIG. 4.

The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented in a wide variety of computing devices. Any components, modules or units have been described provided to emphasize functional aspects and does not necessarily require realization by different hardware units. The techniques described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Any features described as modules, units or components may be implemented together in an integrated logic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices. In some cases, various features may be implemented as an integrated circuit device, such as an integrated circuit chip or chipset.

As mentioned above, the techniques of this disclosure may also be implemented on an article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium. The term “processor,” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other structure suitable for implementation of the techniques described herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated software modules or hardware modules configured for performing the techniques of this disclosure. Even if implemented in software, the techniques may use hardware such as a processor to execute the software, and a memory to store the software. In any such cases, the devices described herein may define a specific machine that is capable of executing the specific functions described herein. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements, which could also be considered a processor.

Various illustrative aspects of the disclosure are described above. These and other aspects are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (22)

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a hub system, one or more initial sets of data from a first set of one or more aircraft;

receiving, by the hub system, one or more secondary sets of data from a second set of one or more aircraft from among the first set of one or more aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the second set of one or more aircraft;

transmitting, by the hub system, an initial data stream to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data; and

transmitting, by the hub system in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream at a higher bandwidth than the initial data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein receiving the one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft comprises receiving one or more of sensor data, sensor range setting data, sensor angle setting data, aircraft position data, aircraft heading data, aircraft speed data, aircraft altitude data, or timestamp data, from the one or more aircraft, and

wherein transmitting, to the particular aircraft, the initial data stream based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft comprises transmitting one or more of the sensor data, the sensor range setting data, the sensor angle setting data, the aircraft position data, the aircraft heading data, the aircraft speed data, the aircraft altitude data, or the timestamp data, from the one or more aircraft.

3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the sensor data comprises imaging data from an onboard weather radar, and the sensor range setting data and the sensor angle setting data comprise range and angle settings, respectively, for the onboard weather radar.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein receiving the one or more secondary sets of data comprises receiving, by the hub system, the one or more secondary sets of data at a higher bandwidth than the one or more initial sets of data.

5. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

generating the secondary data stream based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, prior to transmitting the secondary data stream, wherein generating the secondary data stream comprises processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data comprise weather radar data from the second set of one or more aircraft, and processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition comprises processing the weather radar data from the second set of one or more aircraft for a high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition, wherein the high-resolution graphical display has a resolution above a selected resolution threshold.

7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the format enabled for the high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition is further enabled for one or more of:

display in a three-dimensional (3D) view; display at a high frame rate, wherein the high frame rate has a frame rate above a selected frame rate threshold; display covering a long range, wherein the long range has a range above a selected distance threshold; or display at various points in time as determined by a position of a user input element.

8. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

selecting, from the one or more of the aircraft from which the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition are received, one or more aircraft based at least in part on the aircraft being within a selected range of a nominal flight path of the particular aircraft from which the request is received; and

generating the secondary data stream based on the secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition from the one or more selected aircraft, and omitting data received from one or more of the aircraft that are not within the selected range of the nominal flight path of the particular aircraft from which the request is received.

9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the request from the particular aircraft designates one or more of the aircraft from which the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition are received, the method further comprising:

generating the secondary data stream based on the secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition from the one or more designated aircraft, and omitting data received from one or more of the aircraft that are not designated in the request from the particular aircraft.

10. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional data related to the significant weather condition from one or more additional sensor systems; and

generating the secondary data stream based at least in part on both the additional data related to the significant weather condition from the one or more additional sensor systems, and the one or more secondary sets of data received from the one or more of the aircraft.

11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the one or more additional sensor systems comprise at least one of one or more weather satellites or one or more ground radar systems.

12. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data include additional types of data not comprised in the initial sets of data.

13. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the additional types of data comprise three-dimensional radar imaging data related to the significant weather condition.

14. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

confirming a subscriber policy associated with the particular aircraft; and

establishing a high-bandwidth data link with the particular aircraft, prior to transmitting the secondary data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the high-bandwidth data link has a bandwidth higher than a selected nominal bandwidth.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium having program code stored thereon, configured to be executable by one or more processors for causing the one or more processors to:

receive one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft;

receive one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft;

generate an initial data stream for transmission to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft; and

generate, in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream for transmission to the particular aircraft at a higher bandwidth than the initial data stream, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

16. The article of manufacture ofclaim 15, wherein the program code is further configured for causing the one or more processors to:

generate the secondary data stream based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, prior to transmitting the secondary data stream, wherein generating the secondary data stream comprises processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

17. The article of manufacture ofclaim 15, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data comprise weather radar data from the one or more of the aircraft, and wherein processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition comprises processing the weather radar data from the one or more of the aircraft for a high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition, wherein the high-resolution graphical display has a resolution above a selected resolution threshold.

18. A system for operating an onboard weather display system on an aircraft, the system comprising a processor configured to:

receive an initial data stream based at least in part on one or more initial sets of data from one or more additional aircraft;

transmit a request to a hub system for a secondary data stream comprising additional data associated with a significant weather condition indicated by the initial data stream;

receive the secondary data stream at a higher bandwidth than the initial data stream, wherein the secondary data stream comprises additional data not comprised in the initial data stream; and

generate a display based at least in part on the secondary data stream.

19. The system ofclaim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the display based at least in part on the secondary data stream by at least generating a high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition based at least in part on the secondary data stream, wherein the high-resolution graphical display has a resolution above a selected resolution threshold.

20. The system ofclaim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition based at least in part on the secondary data stream by at least generating the high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition in a three-dimensional (3D) view and at a high frame rate, wherein the high frame rate has a frame rate above a selected frame rate threshold.

21. A hub system configured to enable an onboard weather display system on an aircraft, the hub system comprising:

means for receiving one or more initial sets of data from one or more aircraft;

means for receiving one or more secondary sets of data from one or more of the aircraft, wherein the one or more secondary sets of data are related to a significant weather condition detected by the one or more of the aircraft;

means for transmitting an initial data stream to a particular aircraft, wherein the initial data stream is based at least in part on the one or more initial sets of data from the one or more aircraft; and

means for transmitting, in response to a request from the particular aircraft, a secondary data stream at a higher bandwidth than the initial data stream to the particular aircraft, wherein the secondary data stream is based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition.

22. The hub system ofclaim 21, further comprising:

means for generating the secondary data stream based at least in part on the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, prior to transmitting the secondary data stream, wherein generating the secondary data stream comprises processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition, and

wherein the one or more secondary sets of data comprise weather radar data from the one or more of the aircraft, and processing the one or more secondary sets of data related to the significant weather condition comprises processing the weather radar data from the one or more of the aircraft for a high-resolution graphical display of the significant weather condition, wherein the high-resolution graphical display has a resolution above a selected resolution threshold.

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